All Australian ruck Brodie Grundy has capped off a stellar 2019 campaign by winning his second consecutive E.W. Copeland Trophy.
Grundy was one of five winners at Crown Palladium as Collingwood celebrated its many seasons. Geva Mentor (Magpies Netball), Alex Woodward (VFL), Jaimee Lambert (VFLW) and Brendan Stroud (VWFL) all joined Grundy as the best performed players in their teams in 2019.
Having shared the award with midfielder Steele Sidebottom in 2018, Grundy was the standalone winner for his exceptional 2019 season, which also saw him place sixth in the Brownlow medal count last month.
Grundy averaged the most disposals (21.3), contested possessions (13.7) and clearances (6.1) of any ruckman in the league and averaged the second most hit outs per game (42.6) of any player in 2019.
The 25-year-old finished the night on 174 votes, polling in eighteen matches across the home and away season and finals series.
Brodie Grundy with his second E.W. Copeland Trophy
Collingwood captain and fellow All Australian, Scott Pendlebury, finished second in the Copeland count to receive the R.T. Rush Trophy. Pendlebury has now finished in the top three of the Copeland in the last 11 of his 14 seasons in black and white.
Rounding out the top five was running defender Jack Crisp in third place with 147 votes, followed closely by Adam Treloar (141 votes) and Brayden Maynard (124 votes). For Crisp and Maynard their finishes were career highs.
Another defender recognised on the night was high-flyer Jeremy Howe who received the Bob Rose award for the best player in finals as well as the Darren Millane Memorial award for best clubman. Callum Brown showed that the apple might not fall too far from the tree when he received the Gavin Brown award for his at ball pressure.
Brody Mihocek booted 36 goals to claim the Gordon Coventry award as leading goal-kicker, while mid-season recruit John Noble received the Harry Collier Trophy as best first year player.
The club also took the opportunity to honour long-time head physiotherapist, Dave “Scruff” Francis, as he leaves the club after 26 years of service.
2019 E.W. Copeland Trophy top 10
1. Brodie Grundy 174 votes (E.W. Copeland trophy)
2. Scott Pendlebury 158 votes (R.T. Rush trophy)
3. Jack Crisp 147 votes (J.J. Royce trophy)
4. Adam Treloar 141 votes (J.F. McHale trophy)
5. Brayden Maynard 124 votes (Jack Regan trophy)
6. Steele Sidebottom 118 votes
7. Tom Phillips 116 votes
8. Jeremy Howe 115 votes
9. Brody Mihocek 106 votes
10. Jordan Roughead 105 votes
Gavin Brown Award (pressure): Callum Brown
Bob Rose Award (player of the finals): Jeremy Howe
Gordon Coventry Award (leading goal-kicker): Brody Mihocek (36)
Harry Collier Trophy (best first year player): John Noble
Darren Millane Perpetual Memorial Trophy (best clubman): Jeremy Howe
Joseph Wren Award (best VFL player): Alex Woodward
VFLW best and fairest: Jaimee Lambert
VWFL best and fairest: Brendan Stroud
Magpies Netball best and fairest: Geva Mentor
